Inspirations at your Fingertips!

Tuesday of the 7th week of Eastertide John 17:1-11  What we have are memories, yet we can imagine Jesus on the road to going up to the Father while St. Paul in on his way to Jerusalem.  The message is in the core of those who are leaving: GLORIFY "to lift, praise or worship". Glorify Jesus and his works, to attest in one's life the presence of Jesus as the highest honor and respect. Glorify the Father - to let others know the identity of the Father who is the ruler of all! Glorify fellow human beings, not in the sense of worshiping but to accord respect and honor to them as children of God; to lift them from their state, to accord them hope; to love them as Jesus loves us.

Lifting Jesus up John 8:21-30 Glorifying Jesus at this stage in our Lenten preparation means knowing Jesus most deeply and believing totally in him. Today's gospel underscores the following: 1. that without him, people will die in their sins unless they believe in him.  Here we recognize the urgency to follow Jesus as disciples would. 2. that he is directly united with the Father as the Son of God; Jesus being the very image of the Father, all powerful but all-loving.  One's life need to reflect the image of the Father in the world. 3. that he will be lifted up in the Resurrection; Jesus is to be glorified by his passion, death, and resurrection. Let our lives be a constant experience of suffering, dying, and rising up with Christ then we shall see the full meaning of life in glorifying Jesus.

Glorify the Father John 17:1-11 As we are being prepared to receive the Holy Spirit, let us know what it means to exactly receive it - it simply means to be able to "glorify". Glorifying means bestowing honor ...  The main focus is glorifying the Father.  Jesus did just that. Second, glorifying means finishing the work of the Father.  Reflect on St. Paul's life as he glorifies the Father by doing his will. Third, glorifying means to mirror the Father just as Jesus offers everyone to be glorified in the Father.

Be glorified The Old Testament speaks of a prophet giving witness that God has a special plans for him even before he was born. In the gospel, that person is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He says that he will be glorified. God will exult him. Jesus prophesied the betrayal of Judas, then said the prayer of glorification. To be glorified means to be exulted, recognized, lifted up - ikinagalak, ipinakilala, itinaas. The old testament also speaks of someone who will be glorified by the Lord. May all our actions give glory to God and be the cause of salvation for others.

Glorification  John 13:21-33,36-38 As we get closer to the celebration of the Paschal Mystery, we see how our world and God's world become closer and united.  In both reading, the Son is glorified by the Father; his glorification also shows in his Son who obediently does His will to His delight. In the gospel, the Father's relationship with the Son is manifested in Jesus Christ and not in Judas and even Peter.  Their actions debase human existence. Let us learn from Jesus and we shall know the mystery of our human existence.  Just as the Son glorifies the Father in bringing his sons and daughters back to him, our existence in this world is merely to glorify the Father and mirror Him to others.

"To glorify the Father" St. Paul delivered a farewell speech that moved the whole Christian community at Ephesus - he was to be delivered to Jerusalem to be persecuted and tried. This is reminiscent of Jesus who readied himself and the apostles to what awaited him in Jerusalem - crucifixion - all because of love. As we are readied by the Church to live life in the Spirit, the Word exhorts us to be faithful to Jesus who was glorified by the Father as he glorifies Him.  This is the true mark of the Holy Spirit - none of my life and glory belong to me; everything belongs to the Father.  Every act, gesture, and intention glorifies Jesus and the Father. To glorify Jesus and the Father also means fulfilling the mission entrusted to us the moment we were born.  Whatever that mission is, it will end up fulfilling what God wants for all of us here on earth - life. Thus, let us live lives in the Spirit.  As Jesus says, we are in the world but not of this world. ...